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Sunday 30 August 2015

August Remnants Night

I was a little late getting to Remnants Night on Friday as I was recovering from my daughter’s lunchtime  Big Birthday Bash in Palmy.  My goodness – I was full after that large lunch!  But I made it to the Art Centre to find a small elite group working on their various projects.  Janneke was busy finishing off a whole pile of little drawstring bags she was making for the Health Camp kids for toiletries.  As often happens, this job took far longer than she thought it would.  And continuing with good deeds, Janneke was also hand quilting a Lone Star quilt to be given as a charity quilt.  The quilt top was kindly donated by Cheryl.

P8280051 Lone Star charity quilt

Sandra was machine quilting another charity quilt for Ronald McDonald, while Linda was doing something completely different – taking the scissors to her favourite nighty.  But she had worn it to death, she said, and was unpicking it to use the parts as a pattern to make a new one in the same style.  Wendy had the cutest pattern for Tea Cup Dollies and she had already made quite a few, but wasn’t quite ready to stop yet, she said.

P8280047 Pattern for Tea Cup Dollies

Ute and her young daughter were there too, both busy at their sewing machines, while I was sitting stitching on another of my ABC Christmas blocks, trying to finish off “C is for Candle”.  Didn’t quite get it done by I’m almost there.

Wednesday 26 August 2015

Last few days to see Suitcase Exhibition

If you haven’t already popped into Te Takere Library to see the travelling Suitcase Exhibition, time is running out.  I returned again today to view these 21 small works of art, and as often happens, noticed things I never did first time around.  Here are a few which took my fancy.

Sonja Revell is a name we all know, the current President of Rose City Quilters,  and she was our Speaker in July.  I love soft and pretty quilts and “There are Tuis in my Garden” is delightful.  An original design featuring tuis, kowhai flowers and ferns – what could be more Kiwi than that?

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Paying homage to our cousins across the ditch is “Australian Desert” by Carole Sorrel.  This is an abstract interpretation of the colourful Australian desert, and is hand quilted with perle cotton.

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And now for something completely different - “Hopscotch”, by Alison Laurence.  This original design was inspired by memories of schooldays in the playground.

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Do go along to see the exhibition – you won’t be disappointed.

Tuesday 25 August 2015

Friday Night is Remnants Night

Coming up fast – the next Remnants Night is Friday 28th August, at the Art Society Rooms, Bath Street.  Come along any time from 5.30pm, and early birds bring something for the shared meal.  Tea and coffee supplied, and occasionally chocolate fish make an appearance.

If you can’t make it for the shared meal, just drop in when you can.  (I will be coming along a little later in the evening, after we have recovered from my daughter’s  big family birthday lunch in Palmy).

As always, there is plenty of room at the big tables for those who wish to bring their sewing machines and need to spread out, or take hand stitching if you wish, the choice is yours.   There is always good company, help on hand if required, plenty of fun and companionship.  Hope to see you there.

Friday 14 August 2015

August Club Night

Our monthly meeting started with a “Special Meeting” where the Proposal presenting the Review of the Finance Committee was passed and adopted.  With that important piece of business out of the way, the meeting continued.  The last of the Symposium Tea-towels went in a flash, at only $2 each they were such a bargain.  Raffles were drawn,  with Heather Easton and Moira Parsons being the lucky winners.

I was on Show and Tell duty and up on stage so couldn’t take notes of all the lovely quilts,  but hopefully I remembered a few facts.  This lovely Blue Basket quilt was made by Griet and will be donated to Ronald McDonald House.  Griet loves to use up all her bits and pieces and both the background blocks and the baskets are pieced from scraps.

P8120007  Blue Basket quilt made by Griet

Lesley had made a pretty kiddies quilt featuring machine embroidered blocks.  Not sure who this is going to, but it is sure to be well loved.

P8120003Lesley’s quilt with machine embroidered blocks

And Carol had made a very pretty quilt featuring hand embroidery, and bordered with lovely rose fabric. 

P8120004  Carol’s quilt with hand embroidered blocks.

Instead of a speaker arranged for the evening, we had Four Corners, with four of our talented members demonstrating different techniques.  Lynne had several Mystery Blocks to show, and people were most interested in how these were achieved.  And Cheryl sat quietly stitching away on her Suffolk Puffs, or Yo-yos.  I was interested to see that she turned the outside edge of her circle over, before stitching, something I don’t bother to do.  Guess that is why her Yo-yos are so much neater than mine!

P8120010 Cheryl demonstrating Suffolk Puffs

Sandra was busy in another corner showing how to join Quilt as You Go blocks, and Diane had lots of interest as she demonstrated printing on fabric using specially prepared sheets which are available commercially.  

P8120011 Diane showing how to print on fabric

It was another interesting club night, and special thanks to Val who was on kitchen duties and brought along a plate of delicious Ginger Gems for our supper.  I can attest that they were delicious!

Thursday 13 August 2015

New Zealand Suitcase Exhibition now at Te Takere Library

This touring exhibition is a collection of 21 selected entries from the Quilt Symposium Manawatu 2015 Exhibition.  We are very fortunate to have them in our home town, so do pop along to the library and check them out.

You will have to have a good look to find Griet Lombard’s “Touch the Stars”, as it is around the corner from the other quilts.  “An original design, using recycled fabrics to bring the old into a new quilt future”.   Griet was awarded Merit Inspired Fibres” for this lovely work of art.

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P8110032 “Touch the Stars”, by Griet Lombard

The quilts are on show from Monday 10 August till Sunday 30th August 2015 before being packed up and sent to pastures new.  I will need to return again,  I feel, to take in all these lovely little quilts hanging at Te Takere. 

Tuesday 11 August 2015

Club Night on Wednesday

Don’t forget that our next club night is coming up fast – Wednesday 12th August at 7.30pm.

There will be a Special Meeting – Review of Finance Sub Committee.  The Terms of Reference has been sent out via e-mail.  Due to changes made to the original document, please print out the second copy of this document (sent out on 8th August) and bring it along to the meeting.

To those members who do not receive notices by e-mail, please disregard the Terms of Reference posted out with your August newsletter. As there was not enough time available to post out the amended copy of the document before the August club night, a copy will be available  to these members tomorrow night.

After the Special Meeting we are once again running the popular Four Corners.  Come along and learn hints and tips from Dianne, Lynne, Cheryl and Sandra. 

Symposium Tea Towels will be available for sale at $2 each

Hope to see you all there.

Sunday 9 August 2015

Nostalgia Class No 2

What a wonderful day out it was.  There we were, a group of keen club members all ready and waiting to learn all about the best way to use vintage doilies and linens from our master tutor, Griet Lombard. The exquisite samples were on show, and we gathered around for some words of wisdom.  The first thing to consider, we were told, was how we were going to piece the finished blocks together – quilt as you go, or bagged out.  Mmm, that got us thinking.   Back we went to our tables to begin.

Janneke had been scouring the Op Shops and had purchased some doilies to sell at class for those who required a few more – these went like hot cakes.  It was interesting to discover that several ladies from Griet’s first class returned for a second time.    Barbara, Alison, Ruby, Madalyn and Lynne enjoyed themselves so much they were couldn’t wait to come back again, and happily joined in Class 2 with the rest of us.

P8080007 All busy creating

Griet walked around the room, offering advice to those of us who had trouble getting started.  Lois had brought along her Mum’s wedding dress to use, but the advice was to practice on smaller blocks first to get comfortable with the technique before taking the scissors to such a treasure.  I needed help too -  I had decided to make a bag and had gone along with a plan in my mind, but was gently dissuaded.    My idea was  to use a vintage doily, with added stitched words,  on the front of a bag.  But no, you just can't plonk it right in the middle, I was told, it needs to be off centre.  Oh dear – I “don’t do” asymmetrical!  But perhaps this once I will give it a try – after all, we were being shown the ropes by an amazing tutor.

At intervals during the day we were called to gather around and Griet passed on various tips and techniques to us.  It was just as well that these were spread out as our poor little brains wouldn’t be able to retain too much info all at once.  Speaking for myself, I know my head was spinning – thinking is hard work!

P8080006 Demonstrating on the sewing machine

The hall was buzzing with activity all day, with pretty blocks being created with small pieces of  lace, doilies, and vintage linen.  Some were adding  extra hand embroidery to their blocks, and  Cheryl free motioned stitched a spider’s web to one of her blocks, for luck.  Thanks must go to Cheryl for bringing along a big bag of embroidered organza samples for people to rummage through and take away.

P8080010 Cheryl stitching a spider web, with Alison seeing how it is done

There was some lovely work done by the end of the day, beautiful blocks covered in lace, doilies, and Griet’s speciality, pretty little birds. We all had a great time and learnt all sorts of hints and tips.  Griet stressed that in this class anything goes, do what makes you happy!  With advice like that, we can’t go wrong.  Thank you Griet, you are a wonderful tutor, and a valued club member too.  And thanks to Lynne for organising the class for us.

P8080009 Maureen with her pretty block, with Ute’s blocks on the wall

Saturday 1 August 2015

July Remnants Night

I love the monthly Remnants Nights, and it was great to see an increase in the numbers this month.  It was just as well that I turned the oven on early, as everyone had brought along something to warm us up for our shared meal.  We feasted on savouries, little sausage balls, cheese rolls, pizza, quiche and a delicious fish pie, made with freshly caught fish, we were told.  With tea and coffee and apricot slice to follow we were well fed indeed.

Several of the ladies had their machines humming along.  Ute and her young daughter Kata were both busy, Ute  with her pieced border strips, and Kata was in the process of making a blue and white bag.  Linda was working on the appliqué blocks from a Shop Hop quilt she purchased a while ago.  I love the combination of the rich dark blue against the yellow/cream background fabric.

P7310036 Linda’s Shop Hop blocks

And Janneke was piecing a pretty little girl’s quilt which will be donated to a good cause.  With a nice soft flannel for the backing, it will be a very cosy little quilt indeed.  The pink and yellow Split Nine Patch quilt over the back of the chair was last month’s Remnant’s project.

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What else?  Vickie and I were both tracing patterns for future stitchery projects on light boxes.  Leigh was working on her gorgeous “T’was the Night Before Christmas” project – I really love that design.  Wendy was turning tiny little hexagons into pin cushions, and Janelle was diligently stitching away at her beautiful paper pieced pink and green star blocks.

P7310034 Janelle’s star blocks

Noeline had come along to use the large tables to pin up her green quilt and soon had the job completed.  This looks lovely, a dozen stitched blocks surrounded by green batik sashings and borders. I forgot to ask who this one was for.

P7310032 Noeline pinning up her quilt. 

And we mustn’t forget Kaye who was sitting beside me adding embellishments to her Nostalgia blocks, from Griet’s class last week.  Kay had brought along a huge button jar to dig and delve through, just one of many such jars she has,  she told me.  I was interested to see these, as I’m attending Griet’s second class next week.

P7310031 One of Kaye’s pretty blocks

Thanks to all who came along to Remnants.  Some came early and shared a meal together, some came a little later.  And as the evening progressed some left early as they didn’t want to be out too late, and a few stayed right to the end.  It really didn’t matter, as it is an individual choice.  It was great to catch up with some who hadn’t made it for the last time or two, and welcome new faces too.  I managed to turn all the lights off and lock up the hall at the end of the evening with a little help – next time I’ll remember to bring a torch with me to make this task easier.  Thanks ladies, it was a great night.

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